Afraid Knot, page 4
“I believe you.” Alex’s gaze swept the room. “Anything else we need to pick up? It looks pretty good to me.”
“No, that’s all.”
“Liv, don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad.” Olivia unlatched the gate and walked through.
Alex latched the gate behind him and sped up to catch her.
“You don’t need to walk me to my cabin. It’s broad daylight now. You don't need to babysit me. I can take care of myself. I probably just dreamed it all anyway, right?”
Alex groaned. “Olivia, I’m walking you to your cabin.”
“Suit yourself.”
He followed her down to her cabin.
Olivia swiped her key card and opened her cabin door. “Sorry, I woke you up for nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing. Look, we’re still looking for Emerald. I’ll talk to Victor and the rest of the team at our morning meeting. If I learn something, I’ll let you know. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Hellloooo?”
Alex laughed. “Is that my buddy?”
Chico peaked out of the hole he’d chewed in his cover. “Treat?” He eyeballed Alex through the hole.
Olivia held the door open. “In a minute Chico.”
“Snack?”
“I said in a minute.” Olivia walked over and pulled the cover off of Chico’s cage.
“Looks like I’m not the only one ready for breakfast.” Alex laughed. “Maybe I’ll bring you something later. Okay, bud?”
“Okay, bud!” Chico danced back and forth on his perch.
“Take good care of our girl, alright?”
“Aye, aye, cap’n!” Chico squawked.
Alex pulled her cabin door shut behind him.
Chico climbed off of his perch and pushed on the latch of his cage with his beak. “Nuts?”
“I’m not nuts!” Olivia barked.
“Treat.” Chico stomped his foot.
“Oh. Yeah.” Olivia opened the drawer where she kept his treats and pulled out an almond in the shell. She opened the latch on his cage.
Chico pushed the door open and climbed up on top of his cage. “NUT!”
“Yes, sir.” Olivia handed him the nut. “I have an hour until I have to be back at the Kid’s Club. Any chance you can eat your nut quietly and let me take a nap?”
“More nut!”
“Fine.” Olivia pulled out a couple more almonds and popped them into his dish. She pulled the red striped shirt over her head, dropped it and her shorts on the floor, and climbed under the covers of her bunk.
She closed her eyes.
Olivia sat up and punched at her pillow, fluffing it up. She laid back down and closed her eyes.
She turned on her side and raised her arm over her head.
Her thoughts buzzed around in her head.
She flipped on her back.
“Ugh.” Olivia sat up. “Have you ever been so tired you can’t sleep, Chico?”
Chico sat on the perch on top of his cage, working on his nut.
“I saw a body in the passageway. I did.”
“Uh oh.”
“Exactly. Uh oh.” Olivia flung herself back on her pillow. She closed her eyes. Alex’s face appeared behind her closed eyes. Her heart fluttered as he leaned in. She sat bolt upright. “I need to find Emerald, or at least figure out what happened to her.”
Chico dropped the shell of his almond and gnawed away.
“You’re not much help.”
Olivia rubbed her face. She put her feet down on the floor of her cabin and reached for her youth staff uniform. She held up the limp red striped shirt. “I sure hope Tristan comes up with some t-shirts today.”
“Sorry I’m late.” Olivia hoisted Chico’s travel cage above the gate.
“There you are! I was worried about you. You are never late.” Hayley jumped up from the chair behind the desk and rushed over to open the gate. “What the heck happened to you? You look awful.”
“Thanks.” Olivia put Chico’s cage on the desk. “Not sure anyone looks good in red and white stripes.”
“Well, that too.” Hayley looked Olivia up and down. “Seriously, what is wrong?”
“I had an awful night last night.” Olivia quickly filled Hayley in on her late night.
“Hmph.” Hayley nodded towards the children sitting in a circle on the mat in front of Rachel as she read them a story. “Isabella’s father was in line to drop her off before we even had the sign-in sheet on the desk.”
Olivia’s head jerked towards the kids. “Nice. Not sure why they even brought her on the cruise.”
Hayley shrugged. “Built in babysitting?”
“Anyway, Chico was alone all day yesterday, so I figured I would bring him with me. Hopefully, the kids will enjoy having him here.”
“I’m sure they will.” Hayley cleaned off the top of the bookcase behind the desk. “Here, let’s put him on this so the kids can’t put their fingers in his cage. We don’t want anyone getting bit.”
“He’d be more likely to fall to the bottom of his cage and cower in fear at the intrusion of a little finger, but good idea.”
They got Chico settled.
Hayley pulled out the schedule. “We have half an hour until they deliver pizzas for the kids’ snack.”
“Snack!” Chico shouted from his cage.
Olivia groaned.
“Sorry!” Hayley laughed. “I forgot that was a sensitive word. Want to introduce Chico to the kids?”
Olivia nodded. She opened Chico’s travel cage and held out her hand. “Ready to meet some new friends?”
“Hello!” Chico waved his foot up and down.
“Save your tricks until you meet them.”
Olivia caught Rachel’s eye and held Chico up where she could see him.
“Friends! We have a surprise for you!” Rachel stood up. “You remember Olivia? She brought a friend to meet you!”
Olivia carried Chico to the front of the circle of children.
The kids jumped off the mats and ran towards Chico, their hands reaching up, trying to pet him.
“Holy Frijoles!” Chico yelped.
The kids shrieked with excitement when Chico talked.
“Yikes!” Chico flapped his wings, climbed up Olivia’s arm to her shoulder, and burrowed into her hair.
“Hold on! Everyone sit down.” Olivia tried to get Chico to step on her hand, but he wouldn’t come out of her hair. “Chico is nervous. Can you all sit quietly on your bottoms so he isn’t afraid of you?”
Most of the kids sat back down on the mat. Jimmy made squawking noises and pretended to be a bird, flying around the Kid’s Club.
Olivia looked at him and crossed her arms. “We’ll wait until everyone settles.”
Jimmy plopped down on the mat.
Once the children were quiet, Olivia reached into her hair and pulled Chico out. “His name is Chico. He’s an Amazon parrot.”
She lifted Chico up so the children could look at him. Jimmy jumped up and tried to pet Chico. Chico growled at him like a dog. Jimmy pulled his hand back. The children giggled and shouted, “He thinks he’s a dog!”
“Jimmy, I need you to sit on your bottom and stay there. Chico has a powerful beak. We don’t want him to get stressed or he might bite.”
“He talks?”
“He does! He also does some tricks. Would you like to see them?”
A chorus of yeses rang out.
“Chico, can you say ‘hello’ to the children?”
Chico turned his head and eyeballed the children.
“It’s alright. They will stay seated.” Olivia raised her eyebrows. “Won’t you?”
The children nodded.
“Hello!”
The kids waved and said ‘hi’ back.
Olivia gave Chico a shelled sunflower seed. “Chico, can you show the children your tail?”
Chico slowly turned around on Olivia’s hand. He looked over his shoulder at the children. When he was sure they were all sitting down, he shook out his tail feathers and then held them fanned out.
“Oooh!”
Olivia directed Chico to turn back around. “Would you like to do a dance with Chico?”
The children nodded.
Olivia took a step back. “Okay, everyone. Stand up.”
Once they were on their feet, Olivia took another seed out of her pocket. “Put your left foot in!”
Chico raised his left foot and held it up high in the air. The kids giggled as they raised their feet.
“Shake it all about!”
Chico wiggled his foot up and down.
“And turn yourself about.”
Chico turned around on Olivia’s hand as the kids spun in circles.
“Good job!”
Olivia stepped off the gangway onto the pier and sighed. She walked alongside Hayley and Rachel, closed her eyes, and turned her face up to the sun. “A day out in St. Thomas is so much better than being stuck in the Kid’s Club all day.”
“Truth!” Hayley raised her hands.
“I will never take my life as an entertainer on a cruise ship for granted again after the past couple of days.”
Hayley nudged Olivia with her shoulder. “We’re pretty spoiled, aren’t we?”
“Apparently, I mean, I know we work hard at our shows and put in a lot of time rehearsing, plus long days setting up and late nights tearing down our props, but it isn’t anything compared to spending an entire day entertaining two dozen little kids.”
“Ha!” Hayley burst out laughing. “My mother tried to convince me to study to be a teacher. She said that there wasn’t any security in being an entertainer. But the past couple of days have convinced me I made the right decision. I am not cut out for this line of work.”
“I’m not enjoying the long days, but I’m actually enjoying the little kids. I swear, I was pretty tempted to keep Isabella when her parents never showed to pick her up.” Olivia shrugged. “She’s precious.”
“Yes, she is. But for every Isabella, there is a Jimmy. He reinforces my commitment to not having children.”
“Jimmy is a little terror. Did you see him swing that chair at me?” Olivia rubbed a darkening bruise on her thigh. “Thank goodness he’s short and just hit my leg.”
“Ouch!” Rachel winced.
“Hey, ladies! You need a ride?” The driver leaned against his taxi at the head of a line of cars.
“No, thanks!” Hayley shook her head.
“Always seems like a good idea to walk on the way into town, not always as good of an idea on the way back to the ship.”
“The exercise is good for us. I have a list a mile long of stuff to buy today.” Hayley patted the pocket that contained her to do list. “Top priority is getting my sister’s housewarming gift. I need to drop it at the post office before we leave port today.”
Olivia paused and looked at a large lizard sunning himself on a rock. She looked up. Hayley and Rachel turned the corner past the shops.
Olivia waved goodbye to the lizard and raced to catch up.
“Slow down!” Olivia panted as she struggled to keep up with Hayley and Rachel. “Some of us don’t have long dancer’s legs.”
They walked through Havensite and turned left towards Charlotte Amalie. Hayley slowed as they passed the yacht club. The sun gleamed off of the white boats lined up in a row in the sparkling turquoise water. The water in the bay glistened like diamonds were floating on the surface.
Hayley put her arms around Olivia's and Rachel’s shoulders. “So, instead of going back on the ship and watching rugrats for the rest of the week, maybe we rent a yacht and cruise the Caribbean on our own.”
“Do you even know how to sail?” Olivia shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand and looked at Hayley. She raised both hands. “Why am I even asking? No, we’re not going to ditch the ship. Tristan would be livid.”
“Tristan is the one who got us into this.”
“It isn’t Tristan’s fault that Emerald is missing.”
“No, of course it isn’t. I didn’t mean to imply that.” Hayley tucked a copper colored curl behind her ear. “I’m just annoyed that he asked me to bail him out. If he and I weren’t… you know… would he have asked?”
“I think you’re being too sensitive. He asked all three of us. And he is right. We have more available time than any other staff on the ship.”
“I guess you’re right, Liv. I felt pressured.” Hayley shrugged. “Like he was expecting me to help because of our personal relationship. We’re not that serious. It’s just supposed to be a little fun. You know what I mean? Shipboard romances don’t last.”
“Hey!” Rachel raised her eyebrows.
Hayley laughed. “Except yours, my dear. I’m sure you and Nigel will grow old together. But you have to admit, it is the exception, rather than the rule. Most ship romances don’t last.”
“That’s what I told Alex.”
Hayley reached in front of Olivia and stopped her. “Hold up. You told Alex what, exactly?”
“That shipboard romances don’t last.” Olivia shrugged.
Hayley’s eyes narrowed as Olivia’s eyes darted away.
Hayley grabbed Olivia's and Rachel’s hands. “Sounds like there is something you need to spill. Let’s get something to eat while you tell us everything.” Hayley looked both ways. Olivia took a step forward, and Hayley pulled her back. “Watch out! Traffic is on the other side of the street today.”
After the van passed, Hayley pulled Rachel and Olivia through the crosswalk to the other side of the street. They climbed up the stairs of a cheerful yellow restaurant overlooking the harbor. They placed their order at the counter and grabbed a table by the railing of the balcony.
Olivia swirled her straw through her frozen cappuccino.
“Are you sure you don’t want a rum punch?” Hayley took a sip of her drink and eyed Olivia. “I feel like we’d get more details if you had a rum punch.”
Olivia raised her eyebrows. “It seems a little early in the day for a rum punch.”
“It’s brunch. People drink Mimosas and Bloody Marys, what’s wrong with a rum punch?” Hayley raised her plastic cup. “Cheers.”
Olivia took a sip of her coffee and gazed past the palm tree at the small boats lined up at the Port Authority Dock, their ship visible in the distance.
“Spill it, sister.”
Olivia stabbed a potato and took a bite.
“Quit stalling.” Hayley glared at Olivia. “Why were you and Alex discussing shipboard romances?”
Olivia swallowed her bit of potato salad. “Nothing happened.”
“Nothing happened? I’m afraid I don’t believe you.” Hayley’s eyes narrowed. “What do you think, Rach?”
“Did Alex kiss you?” Rachel grinned and raised her plastic cup towards Olivia.
“No!” Olivia sat bolt upright in her white plastic chair.
Hayley’s eyes widened. “Oh! He wanted to kiss you, though, didn’t he?”
Olivia’s shoulder’s sank as she took another sip of her frozen cappuccino.
Hayley’s hand covered her mouth, then she raised her pointer finger and jabbed it toward Olivia. “And you wouldn’t kiss him.”
Olivia tapped her cup on the table to break up the ice in her frozen drink.
Hayley leaned in. “Am I right?”
Olivia slouched in her chair. “Maybe.”
“What is wrong with you?”
“Nothing is wrong with me.”
Rachel bit her lip. “If I wasn’t with Nigel and Alex wanted to kiss me, I sure wouldn’t say no.”
Hayley clinked her plastic cup to Rachel’s. “Exactly. So tell us what happened.”
Olivia filled them in. “I don’t even know how long I’m going to be on the ship, so what’s the point in starting a relationship?”
“Not every kiss has to lead to a relationship. You can just kiss the hot guy because you’re standing in front of a beautiful sunrise and it would feel good.” Hayley wiggled her eyebrows. “Kissing good-looking men is one of my favorite things to do.”
“That’s awesome for you.” Olivia laughed. “It just isn’t me. Besides, I’m happy on my own. I’ve been in a relationship for a long time. It is good for me to figure out what I want and not look to a man to find direction in my life.”
“That is an excellent point. But I still vote for kissing.”
“Eat your croissant, and let’s change the subject away from kissing.”
“You are no fun at all.”
“So I’ve been told,” Olivia popped the last bite of her brie and fig sandwich into her mouth, “By you, mostly. So what is on our agenda today? I want to give my mom a call while we’re in port.”
“My sister is moving into her first house. I need to get her a present and get it in the mail since I won’t be at her housewarming party.”
“Sorry, you’re going to miss it.”
“I’m not. I think she’s too young to settle down to a mortgage payment.” Hayley drank the last of her rum punch. “I tried to get her to get a job on a ship, but she says she likes her job. I don’t know why she’d rather work in a bank and have a mortgage than live like this.”
Olivia gazed out at the boats bobbing in the water. She sighed. “This is pretty amazing. But I can see the charm of having your own place and building roots.”
“I’m thinking that I’ll get her a set of everyday tablecloths and a Christmas set.” Hayley held up two tablecloths. “Not like I’ll be hosting holidays in my studio apartment or on the ship.”
Olivia ran her hand over the white set Hayley had set aside. “I love the cutwork on this one. And the Christmas set is very festive. I think she’ll love them both.”
“Good. Then we can get out of here and I can get these in the mail to her.” Hayley looked back and forth between Rachel and Olivia. “I need to get a card.”
They walked a block down Main Street and turned onto an alley lined with shops. Olivia ran her hand along the rough brick wall. Pots of tropical plants were grouped around the doors to the shops in the narrow alleyways. Hayley led them to a small store and looked through the racks of cards.
Olivia picked up a wooden box with a parrot painted on the lid. “Rachel, look at this! It looks just like Chico!”
